Oconee County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Oconee County, building and trade permits come from Planning & Code Enforcement at 7635 Macon Highway, Watkinsville, and can be applied for and inspected through BS&A Online. A new house is charged $0.47 per square foot plus $50 for each trade permit, inspection requests made by 4:00 p.m. go on the next day’s list, and work started without a permit costs three times the fee.

What requires a permit in Oconee County?

Code Enforcement’s “Do I need a Permit?” handout sets out which jobs need a building, electrical, gas, HVAC or plumbing permit:

Separate permits are needed for demolition, a driveway that crosses the public right-of-way, signs, house moving, logging or hauling, soil erosion when more than one acre is disturbed, and a fire inspection when a business moves into a vacant space or one previously used for a different type of business. Septic permits come from Environmental Health.

Who handles permitting in Oconee County?

Planning & Code Enforcement issues building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, gas, logging, sign, driveway and soil erosion permits, reviews commercial building plans and soil erosion plans, and inspects construction. Guy Herring is the Director of Planning & Code Enforcement. The County’s Unified Development Code applies to the unincorporated areas of Oconee County.

Bogart: the City’s planning page names the Oconee County planning office as the office that issues building permits, reviews plans and inspects construction for Bogart, and the City contracts all its inspections to the County. Bogart requires a building permit for any new structure or any alteration over 100 square feet; the building, electrical, HVAC and plumbing permit applications are also available at City Hall, 125 Main Street (770-725-7386). Bishop and North High Shoals: neither the County’s nor the towns’ published sources say who issues building permits inside these towns; contact the town hall before applying (North High Shoals: 706-769-4289).

Permit costs and fees in Oconee County

Fees come from the Board of Commissioners’ FY25 fee schedule, as amended on June 25, 2024, which both fee links on the County site open. Building fees are per square foot, trade permits are flat, and fees are paid when the permit card is issued.

Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas permits

Plumbing, electrical, gas and heating and air each need a separate permit, bought before the work starts, and no inspection is given until every permit for the job has been obtained. Residential trade permits are $50 each and commercial ones $70. Gas lines are pressure-tested at a minimum of 10 psi from the meter stub-out to every appliance valve, and the under-slab plumbing permit must be issued before that inspection is scheduled.

Code Enforcement also issues the fire inspection permit for commercial spaces ($50) and reviews commercial plans. A homeowner acting as their own general contractor signs the Homeowner / Builder Affidavit, which limits the home to the owner’s family and bars building another home that way for 2 years after the Certificate of Occupancy.

How to apply for a new home permit

Inspections in Oconee County

Schedule inspections in BS&A Online or by calling 706-769-3907 with the permit number. Requests received by 4:00 p.m. go on the next day’s list. The residential sequence is:

• Setback: for subdivision lots under 2 acres, with the property lines professionally marked and the footprint staked, before footings.
• Footing, foundation and wall: before concrete; also for mobile and modular home footings.
• Under-slab plumbing and slab: waste lines tested with at least a 10-foot head of water, then the slab before the pour.
• Framing and sheathing, then moisture barrier: dried in, then house wrap, flashing and windows taped before exterior finishes.
• MEP rough and insulation: electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas rough-ins, then insulation and sealing.
• Landscape: grass, trees, erosion control, any required sidewalk and rezoning conditions.
• Final: all fixtures connected, smoke detectors in, the address sign behind the curb.

Pools get setback (in subdivisions), basket, bonding and gas test inspections. A $50 Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Completion is issued after the final, and occupying without one is unlawful. Using a third-party inspector requires written notice to the office, and the County can still do its own final inspections.

Local Oconee County rules

Rights-of-way and streams: no irrigation or structures in the County right-of-way or within 13 feet of the back of the curb, and nothing within 25 feet of state waters, in a drainage easement, buffer or floodplain without prior approval.

Aquifer recharge areas: building permits in the Aquifer Recharge Area need an aquifer protection site plan under the Unified Development Code.

Permit life: a permit is invalid if work does not start within 6 months, unless the Director grants an extension ($100). If work stops for a year, the permit packet must be resubmitted. A driveway permit expires if work does not start within 90 days or finish within 6 months.

Job sites: job boxes, erosion control BMPs, portable toilets and dumpsters are required on every site, construction debris may not be burned or buried, and County property appraisal staff inspect during construction.

Georgia building code

Georgia's State Minimum Standard Codes apply statewide: the 2024 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, with Georgia Amendments, in force since 1 January 2026; the energy code is still the 2015 IECC with Georgia supplements. The Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes

Oconee County permit search and official resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Oconee County — Development Code, Building Permits
• Oconee County — Code Enforcement
• Oconee County — Permit Applications
• Oconee County — Planning & Code Enforcement
• Oconee County BS&A Online permits and inspections
• Oconee County FY25 Fee Schedule (amended June 25, 2024)
• Oconee County: Do I need a Permit? (PDF)
• Oconee County Residential Inspection Process (PDF)
• Oconee County Residential Building Permit Application (PDF)

Oconee County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Oconee County?

Oconee County Planning & Code Enforcement, 7635 Macon Highway, Watkinsville (706-769-3907), for the unincorporated county.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Oconee County?

$0.47 per square foot under the FY25 fee schedule, plus $50 for each plumbing, electrical, HVAC and gas permit and $50 for the Certificate of Occupancy.

Do I need a permit for a fence, shed or new roof?

Fences and re-roofing with shingles or tin need no permit. Sheds and other structures need one at 100 sq ft or more.

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or HVAC unit?

Yes. Both are on the County’s permit list; adding only new ductwork is not.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Through BS&A Online or by calling 706-769-3907 by 4:00 p.m. for the next day’s list.

Can I build my own house?

Yes, as your own general contractor for your family’s use, by signing the Homeowner / Builder Affidavit. You cannot build another home that way for 2 years after the Certificate of Occupancy.

What happens if I start without a permit?

The permit fee is tripled. If the pre-site inspection for a new home or addition finds that lot grading has started, the permit also costs three times as much.

Simplify Oconee County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Georgia. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Oconee County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.